Italian Sausage with Brussels Sprouts and Lentils

This week I’m full of feelings on both ends of the emotional spectrum. A past colleague, who was full of life and positivity, passed away unexpectedly making me think about how little I see certain people that I love and reflect on how fragile life can be.

At the same time, my Mom and sister will be here this weekend and I am thrilled to spend time with them both. Going to hug them a little tighter that’s for sure!

How about a little Vine to show you how this recipe came together

It is amazing to me that we’ve been cooking through the Food Matters Cookbook for a year and a half and yet many of the recipes still continue to pleasantly surprise me. Erin from The Goodness Life is the host of The Food Matters Project this week and you can find her recipe right here. Bittman’s recipe originally calls for Cannellini beans, but the market I went to didn’t have them so when I saw lentils they sounded like a delicious substitue.

This dish has tons of flavor with the spicy sausage, yet it feels full of “good for you” because of the brussels sprouts. Serve it with bulgur or farro and it becomes a fairly hearty dish. I chose farro, it was actually the first time I’ve made farro and I loved it!

1 pound brussels sprouts, shredded in a food processor, roughly chopped, or sliced with a mandolin

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups canned lentils

1 cup grain, like farro or bulgur (optional)

Instructions

Cook the farro or bulgur as directed on the package and set aside for serving.

Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally to break the meat into small pieces, until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and chile flakes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for another minute or so.

Add the Brussels sprouts and wine to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the sprouts are tender but still a bit crunchy, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the lentils and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are heated through, just a minute or 2. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve.